1996 Parliament House riot

The entrance to Parliament House, Canberra – scene of the 1996 riot

The 1996 Parliament House riot (also called the Canberra riot), involved a physical attack on Parliament House, Canberra, Australia, on 19 August 1996. The riot followed the "Cavalcade to Canberra" protest rally organised by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) against the Howard government's first Budget following the 1996 Australian federal election. The demonstrators injured 90 people while forcing their way into the Parliamentary foyer, looting the Parliamentary shop, attacking police and inflicting other damage on the building.